Workshop offers farmers information about loans, programs

Andre Gallant

Thursday

Mar 14, 2013 at 9:32 PM

The USDA faced multiple lawsuits in the 1990s that alleged discriminatory lending practices against minority farmers. In the following years, the department made millions of dollars available for socially disadvantaged farmers, defined as women, African-Americans and Hispanics, among others.

Low-interest loans are now available for these farmers to buy land and purchase capital.

The USDA and its subsidiary agencies like the National Resource Conservation Service offer technical assistance for minority and underserved farmers as well.

But the farmers most in need of such aid and information aren't always aware of the help available to them.

A workshop to be held at the Oglethorpe County Library hopes to bridge communication divides between farmers and the federal programs that aim to bolster farming.

The Athens Land Trust is hosting a farmer outreach workshop 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the Oglethorpe County Library, 858 Athens Rd., Lexington.

"I think people don't know about these programs," said Athens Land Trust farmer outreach specialist Shy Cullars. "I don't know why they don't know about them. But there's something new that every person can learn."

Topics to be discussed include a farmer's marketing strategy, sustainable farming practices, business planning from idea to land to seed.

Cullars will also be discussing helping would-be farmers gain access to land by partnering with current landowners not using prime farmland.

NRCS district conservationist Bryan Barrett will speak about business help provided by his agency, and Oglethorpe County extension agent Jeff Aaron will explain his office's main programs - 4H, family and consumer sciences, and agriculture and natural resources - but will mostly focus on agriculture.

Aaron's office offers basic services to farmers like soil and water tests, insect and plant disease identification and forage testing, which can detect deadly amount of nitrates in hay meant for cattle.

For more information, call the Athens Land Trust at (706) 613-0122.

•Follow arts and entertainment reporter André Gallant on Twitter: @andregallant and at www.facebook.com/GallantABH.

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